Making dinner, and singing and playing music around a campfire makes participants feel closer to each other

After the Tanabata festival, participants began to do what they had very much looked forward to—making dinner, at the campsite equipped with cooking facilities and campfire equipment. The Thai students, together with local people, made yakisoba (fried noodles) using a large iron plate.

The Thai students enjoyed making yakisoba while smiling at each other. Enough yakisoba was prepared for about 100 people.

It is special to enjoy meals on the mountain. The students ate a lot. They enjoyed eating while taking a lesson on the Saga dialect.

After dinner, around 6:30 p.m., a campfire was made and shined brightly around the site toward sunset. The Thai students helped ignite the campfire. The flames waved in the wind, scaring the participants a bit.

The participants listened raptly to music played on a shinobue (a Japanese woodwind instrument) and Japanese drums. Some students shot video of the performance.

Students of Takeo Kita Junior High School sang songs for the Thai students.

In return, the Thai students sang a song with lyrics based on the official name of Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. “Krung Thep Mahanakhon amon rattanakosin …,” which is very long.

Thai students tried to play Japanese drums. They said: “This was a good opportunity for us to learn about Japanese culture.”

Observing the starry sky at the “natural planetarium”

The Mayuyama Camp Site is a place that Wakaki’s local people are proud of. They frequently say: “The site is also a good place to observe the starry sky.” After sunset, a star observation session started at the site. Having the luxury of taking a lesson about summer constellations while looking up at real stars, the Thai students seemed to enjoy a relaxed time in Wakaki Town.

The star observation session was held in a wind a little too cold for a short sleeve shirt, in contrast to the heat in the daytime, which was even said to be hotter than Thailand by Thai students. After the session, participants had a relaxing time in their respective lodges, and thus the first day of the program ended.

DAY 2>>>